Concerned Guyanese petition Canadian gov’t to back free, fair outcome of March 2 polls

The Canadian chapter of the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG), is requesting the assistance of the Canadian government to continue to support a free, fair and transparent outcome of the March 2 elections in Guyana.

According to an ACG press release issued on Monday, the group has petitioned the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, seeking the support of the Government of Canada for a free, fair and transparent outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections in Guyana, and for the establishment of a government based on the democratic outcomes of those elections.   

The petition, which was signed by more than 1,500 citizens Canadians and friends of Guyana, expressed the Association’s sincere gratitude to the Government of Canada, particularly Canada’s High Com-missioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee, for actively supporting the “protection of democracy” in Guyana following national and regional elections on March 2.

The ACG has called upon the Government of Canada to continue to actively support free, fair and transparent elections in Guyana; advocate for the immediate return of the Carter Center to observe the recount; stand firmly with the international community, observers and Guyanese in support of free and fair elections; provide unwavering support for High Commissioner Chatterjee (and other resident Ambassadors) as she endures deliberate and unfound attacks from anti-democratic forces while she articulates the fundamental democratic values shared by all Canadians; and impose sanctions on individuals and organisations involved in attempts to rig Guyana’s elections.

The Association reminded that the elections were monitored by Observer Missions from the EU, the Commonwealth, the OAS, the Carter Center, local observer groups and resident diplomatic missions of the EU, USA, UK and Canada, all of whom unanimously viewed Elections Day as fair and transparent.

The ACG also contends that there are forces that “seek to usurp the will of the people and they have continued to engage in despicable tactics, such as denying the Carter Center permission to return to Guyana to observe the recount, and embarking on a strategy to denigrate international observers and resident ambassadors, including High Commissioner Chatterjee. These baseless criticisms, we believe, are aimed at silencing Canada’s powerful voice in support of democracy.”

The ACG declares that it stands “resolutely with the people of Guyana” in their efforts to establish a government based on free, fair and transparent elections, the release added.